The IRS is close to an agreement that would allow immigration authorities to use tax information to assist with Donald Trump’s deportation plans, according to the Washington Post. The proposed collaboration, if approved, would allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to obtain names and addresses of unauthorized immigrants, which could lead to concerns about the abuse of power and privacy infringement. This would be a significant development, as immigration enforcement has not previously relied on the tax system to this extent.
The IRS might compare the names of undocumented immigrants with their private tax records. This action would violate the long-held belief that tax information is confidential, which has traditionally been protected by law and hence closely guarded. Because of its sensitive nature, the potential deal has reportedly raised concerns within the IRS, according to the Washington Post.
The IRS acknowledges that undocumented immigrants are subject to U.S. taxes and must use Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) if they are unable to obtain Social Security numbers. The agency treats them similarly to U.S. citizens with the same income.
The IRS is clear that taxpayer information is protected, and the agency’s website explains that in some cases, with a court order, return information can be shared with law enforcement agencies for the investigation and prosecution of non-tax criminal laws. However, it’s unusual to use these privacy law exceptions to assist immigration enforcement, as it goes against standard procedure.
This proposed shift aligns with Trump’s more robust immigration policies. During his campaign, he promised to deport millions of undocumented individuals, and the reports of this deal might illustrate his strategy. Since taking office, he has eliminated legal channels for immigrants to enter and remain in the U.S.
Recently, the Department of Homeland Security announced it would revoke the temporary legal status of over 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan immigrants. ICE has conducted raid operations in cities with high immigrant populations. The Trump administration has also deported Venezuelan immigrants despite a judicial order to halt the process.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/23/irs-ice-deal-share-data-undocumented-immigrants
